Deep brain stimulation (DBS) employs high-frequency stimulation to stimulate a targeted region of the brain. It includes a surgical procedure where one or more electrodes are positioned and placed into one of several possible targets in the brain. The electrode is then connected to an impulse generator that is implanted subcutaneously, in a manner similar to that used for a pacemaker. Stimulation parameters are adjusted to maximize therapeutic effects. Deep brain stimulation is, for example, a surgical treatment for Parkinson's disease.
In this procedure and other similar procedures, the stimulation electrode works effectively only if positioned near neurons that are targeted for stimulation. To properly position the electrode, a recording microelectrode is used to record electrical signals from within the brain or other tissue. From these signals, a surgeon or other expert must identify and isolate extracellular action potentials of individual neurons. If the action potentials are properly identified, the location of the targeted neurons is more than likely determined.
There are various techniques for isolating neuron cell discharges from electrical signal data. However, the prior techniques depend on the subjective judgment of an expert that attempts to distinguish a nerve cell discharge from a large quantity of noise signals. This is performed, for example, by viewing an oscilloscope and analyzing a tracing of the recorded electrical activity. Alternately, the electrical signal data is made audible and the expert listens for certain characteristics that may represent neuron cell discharges. In either case, experts must be highly trained and sophisticated in order to analyze the electrical signal data. They typically have extensive prior knowledge of what a nerve cell discharge looks like and/or sounds like as opposed to an artifact signal.
Due to its subjective nature, this is a tedious and error prone process. Furthermore, the limited number of qualified experts hinders the ability to perform procedures that require identification of neurons.
The present invention provides a new and useful system and method of analyzing electrical signals that addresses one or more of the above problems.